A trio of California communities are standing up to fossil fuel peddlers and holding them to account for their role in climate change . San Mateo and Marin counties and Imperial Beach filed an unprecedented suit against 37 companies, including major players like Shell, Chevron and Exxon Mobil. The complaint states that these companies have knowingly caused billions of dollars worth of damage and have caused sea levels to climb, putting lives and property in serious danger. The lawsuits state that the 37 defendants are responsible for hundreds of gigatons of carbon emissions – about 20 percent of the total emissions from the mid-1960s to today. The suit alleges that the companies knew about the impact they were having on climate change, and have worked to not just avoid reduce their impact but to deny the threats altogether in a “co-ordinated, multi-front effort to conceal and deny their knowledge of these threats”. Related: Shell predicted the effects of climate change in its own 1991 film California isn’t the first to sue fossil fuel companies. An Alaska community sued after being forced to relocate their village , but the case was dismissed as being a political question, not a legal one. The lawsuits may comprise the first step towards a future that holds fossil fuel companies to account, much like citizens held tobacco companies responsible for their role in peddling dangerous chemicals. Via The Guardian images via Flickr and Depositphotos

Comments Off on INFOGRAPHIC: What you need to know about Sea Level Rise

We know that sea levels are rising and we know that many coastal cities struggle regularly with resulting flooding, but how much do we know about where we are headed? Which cities are taking action to protect themselves and which are not doing enough? Who will be hit the hardest and how much will the damage from sea level rise cost us? To help us understand the impacts, Eastern Kentucky University’s Safety, Security and Emergency Management Program put together this infographic, which discusses in detail the causes, victims, and solutions for sea level rise. Lean more about what’s in store below.. + Eastern Kentucky University The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat ? Send us a tip by following this link . Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing!

Comments Off on Polar bears are eating dolphins stranded by climate change

Arctic polar bears have been forced to rethink their diet as a result of climate change. No, they aren’t considering vegetarianism to help offset the droughts in other parts of the world. Instead, they have been feasting on frozen white-beaked dolphins who have found themselves trapped in the surrounding ice. This practice was previously unheard of, since this species of dolphin doesn’t usually venture so far north in the Arctic Ocean during the winter or spring months. With fewer seals to hunt, bears in the region are availing themselves of an unexpected source of sustenance. Read the rest of Polar bears are eating dolphins stranded by climate change Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: arctic ocean , Climate Change , global warming , polar bear eats dolphin , polar bears , sea level rising , svalbard islands , white-beaked dolphin

Comments Off on Researchers Find That Antarctic Ice is Melting Faster Than Previously Expected

While scientists have long agreed that global warming is having an impact on the planet , there hasn’t been any clear agreement as to the extent to which this warming has impacted polar ice melt. But that has changed now due to a recent study released by over 20 polar research teams, which shows that ice in Antarctica and Greenland is melting significantly faster than previously thought. Read the rest of Researchers Find That Antarctic Ice is Melting Faster Than Previously Expected Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: Antarctic melt , global warming ice melt , Greenland melt , ocean levels rising , Polar Ice Cap Melting , polar ice caps melting faster , sea level increase causes , sea level rising